Honmei Choco
by AngelineL
Summary: It's Valentine's Day again and Kagome has a tradition she likes to keep.


**Disclaimer: **I do not own Inuyasha –sigh- Though in the not so distant future when they can make clones out of templates, I might one day own an Inuyasha-clone. I'll keep him next to my Ichigo-clone and they can compare swords….oh my….

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**Honmei Choco**

Her lower lip felt sore. She wasn't entirely sure why.

This trivial thought crossed Kagome's mind briefly, interrupting her contemplation of the small packages sitting just inside her monstrosity of a bag. She really wasn't sure whether or not she should go ahead with the small tradition or not.

Every year, faithfully, Higurashi Kagome would go out and buy bags and bags of _giri choco_. It was a small tradition of hers that stretched back as early as kindergarten and one that she had become well-known for amongst her peers. Every year, on the fourteenth of February, Kagome would go to school with dozens of little boxes filled with chocolate. Every year except for the last.

Last year, on February fourteen, Kagome had been ankle-deep in youkai gore, searching for a tiny shard instead of handing out the little decorative boxes to classmates. She had only realised her lapse when she had gone home the following week and actually glanced at a calendar.

Determined that she would not miss out on Valentine's Day this year, Kagome had pulled aside her sometimes-companion, sometimes-verbal-sparring-partner and had warned him that she was planning on going home.

Inuyasha had flippantly dismissed her words and urged her to climb onto his back to chase after the fleeing youkai.

She tried again the following week, all she got was his typical "Keh."

On February 10, Kagome had squared her shoulders and faced the silver-haired hanyou…

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"_Inuyasha, I'm going now."_

_  
Amber-gold eyes pinned her to the spot, "What the fuck are you talking about wench? Where the hell do you think you're going?"_

_  
Taking a bracing breath, Kagome tugged her bag more securely on her shoulders, "I told you Inuyasha, I'm going home for a few days. I told you this weeks ago."_

_  
"Keh! Stop making shit up Kagome. You didn't say anything about going home!" Crossing his arms huffily, Inuyasha faced her, mouth already falling into a hard line that she was all too familiar with._

_  
Clearing his throat, Miroku looked up from his cup of tea, "Ah I do believe I have to interject at this point Inuyasha. Kagome-sama did indeed inform you, several times, that she was planning a more extended leave from her duties here with us."_

_  
Inuyasha opened his mouth, ready to fire out a retort, but Sango also spoke up, "Yes, I recall this as well. You mentioned it just a couple of days ago, didn't you Kagome-chan?"_

_  
Eyeing their silver-haired companion warily, Kagome cautiously nodded, "Inuyasha…"_

_  
He lowered his head, hiding his eyes from view, the ominous silence that hung over Inuyasha was nearly suffocating in its intensity. _

_  
Taking a deep breath, Kagome tried again, "It's just for a few days Inuyasha…"_

_  
"Fine!" The word was sharp and biting as it cut through the silence of the forest. Glowering fiercely at her, Inuyasha lowered his arms before turning his back on her, "Just go already!"_

_  
"But Inuyasha…"_

_  
"I said go!!"_

_  
His roar had Kagome stumbling backwards, her eyes wide with anxiety as she stared at him, Briefly she contemplated just staying, but a memory tugged at the back of her mind and she merely shook her head, "I'll be back in four days."_

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Four days had gone past and Kagome stood in front of the well house, her pack at her feet and her lip sore from her worrying teeth.

As she handed out the _giri_ _choco_ that day to her classmates, Kagome had endured her friends' teasing questions and jibes. Yuka had sly asked her if she had bought a special box of chocolates this year while Eri had mused if Kagome was going to give Hojou chocolates. It was Ayumi's quiet pondering on what Kagome would get on White Day that had Kagome chewing on her lower lip. She had not stopped since then. Her lower lip was sore.

She was certain that Valentine's Day was not a holiday that was celebrated in the Sengoku Jidai and she was positive that the era had never even heard of White Day. She was suddenly worried what her little gifts might mean to the people of the Sengoku Jidai. It was times like these that she was suddenly made so much more aware of the differences between her culture and Inuyasha's.

"You've bought them already Nee-chan."

Startled, Kagome slammed the lid of her pack closed before turning to look over her shoulder, "Souta! You're back from school?"

Rolling his eyes, Souta tucked his skateboard under his arm, "Uh yeah, I've been home all this time Nee-chan – it's nearly dinner time."

Flushing, Kagome turned her gaze upwards towards the darkening skyline. "Right…dinner time…"

"Like I was saying," Flashing her a mischievous grin, Souta leaned forward, "You've bought them already, just give them to him!"

Feeling herself blush even hotter, Kagome was actually thankful for the burgeoning darkness, "Umm…ah…they're for Miroku and Shippou and…"

"Inu-nii-chan, riiiiiight?" His grin threatened to split his face wide open, "I'm sure he'll love 'em!" Peeking over her shoulder, the grin turned to a smirk, "Nice box by the way Nee-chan."

Glancing down at her pack, Kagome saw that it was not fully closed and the box in question peeked out from under the others. Gulping, Kagome rushed to tighten the bag but Souta just laughed and ran into the house, yelling over his shoulder that she had to bring 'Inu-nii-chan' with her next time.

Groaning, Kagome hoisted the pack over her shoulder. No use delaying it now…

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Sango had managed to coax Inuyasha into the hut for dinner and they all sat around the fire, talking and laughing as Kagome recounted a funny story about her cat. Inuyasha however projected a volatile aura of pique as he sat just a little distant from them, his body half turned away from the school girl. Biting on her lip once more, Kagome's glance kept sliding to her pack in the corner.

It was no use! She should just get it over and done with. Explain what it's all about and done. She stood and pulled her bag closer to cooking pit in Kaede's home, Kagome launched into a short explanation of Valentine's Day.

Miroku blinked down at the small box in his hand, "So…it is a day for love?"

Kagome felt her cheeks heating up, "Umm, well you see…it is I suppose…"

"Yay! Kagome loves me!" Shippou launched himself into Kagome's lap and cuddled against her middle.

"And me as well." Miroku calmly stated, holding up his little box.

A growl from the corner of the hut drew everyone's attention and Kagome flung her hands up in protest, "No!"

"No?" Miroku pouted at her. She didn't worry so much about the perverted monk but when the little kitsune cub turned large, hurt-filled eyes towards her, she crumbled.

"That's not what I meant! These chocolates are for friends... because a girl can have male friends, right?." Oh Kami-sama she was rambling, "And it is a kind of love, just not…love-love…" and incoherent, apparently. Sighing, Kagome took a deep breath. "These chocolates are for friends and Valentine's Day is for celebrating all kinds of relationships…I think…"

A small snicker escaped Sango and Kagome turned to glare at her. Sango held up her hands in apology, "So in the spirit of celebrating all kinds of relationships, I get shampoo?"

Kagome grinned at her, "Something like that."

As Shippou happily ripped opened his box and began to devour his chocolates and Miroku started to ponder out loud on the ramifications of the holiday, Inuyasha stood and left the hut.

His face already smeared with the melted chocolate, Shippou turned large green eyes towards Kagome, "How come Inuyasha didn't get any Kagome?"

Certain that her face had to be a permanent shade of beet-root red by now, Kagome stealthily grabbed the other box and tucked it into her pocket. Stammering some excuse and determined to avoid Miroku's knowing gaze, she stood and followed Inuyasha.

The stars were bright and shed enough light for her see her way in the inky blackness of the night. Kagome was often struck by how dark the Sengoku Jidai was in comparison to the never-ending brightness of modern day Tokyo.

Unfortunately, the stars were not so bright that Kagome could see the root that her foot was suddenly caught on. Cursing under her breath, she paused to tug her foot free. Caught unbalanced, Kagome tugged hard and sent herself tumbling down.

Only to be caught by a pair of strong, red-clad arms.

"Inuyasha…"

"Feh. Stupid wench. What do you think you're doing out here in the dark?"

Peering at him through the shadows, Kagome's hand tightened around the box, "I just wanted…"

"I don't want them."

Blinking, her fingers flexed around the box, "What?"

"Your box. I don't want it."

Shrouded by shadows, Kagome found it hard to get a good look at his face, but there was and odd crack to his voice that had her worried, "But Inuyasha, I don't think you understand…"

"They're for friends right?"

"What?" She blinked again, where was this going?

"That's what you said. You said they're for friends."

"Yes…but Inuyasha…"

"I don't want it, just give them to Shippou or something…"

That crack in his voice…Kagome's fingers flexed again, before she tightened her grip and drew it out. Keeping her gaze focused on the box, she tried to explain, "_Some_ chocolates are for friends Inuyasha. You have to give them. My dad…" She paused. "My dad once told me that just because someone didn't look lonely, that they weren't lonely. He said some people might think of holidays like Valentine's Day and White Day as silly and unimportant, but what could be more important than making somebody feel like they matter." Kagome's finger traced an outline on the box as she continued, "Chocolates make people feel like they matter. Giving them doesn't take much out of you, but it can mean so much to the person receiving them."

She took a deep breath, before kneeling down on the grass and placing the small box by Inuyasha's feet. She didn't look at him as she got to her feet again. She turned and made her way back to the hut only pausing to look at him when she reached the doorway before disappearing inside.

Inuyasha stared after her, not wanting to acknowledge the small box on the ground. Though try as he might, his eyes simply could not be kept away.

The boxes that Kagome had given Miroku and Shippou had been simple red affairs, ordinary, box-shaped boxes, plain with nothing adorning them. Simple…

The tiny little thing that lay on the ground was red and had white ribbon on it. It was not box-shaped.

Picking it up gingerly, Inuyasha stared at it.

_"Some chocolates are for friends…yes, yes, giri choco are for friends…"_

This was different…

His mind flashing back on Kagome's explanation, Inuyasha heard Sango's quiet, almost whispered question...

_"For friends? And the others Kagome? What are they called?"_

_"Honmei choco."_

Tugging on the ribbon, Inuyasha lifted the lid of the box and ate one of the chocolates inside. They were all shaped the same…all the same as the box…

He remembered arguing with Kagome about the shape once before. She had said what the shape was, he insisted that the real thing wasn't at all shaped like that. She said it didn't matter. He said it did – how can you call something a shape that it wasn't? She told him to shut up. He called her stupid.

A heart. The box was shaped like Kagome's kind of heart. The chocolates were all a bunch of little hearts.

Chewing thoughtfully, Inuyasha tucked the box into his haori, the box briefly bumping against the cool metal that already called his haori home.

"Feh. Stupid wench."

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AN: I have _Fruits Basket_ on DVD and my little seven-year-old niece insisted on watching them the other day. I sat there watching an episode of FB and when Tohru was oh so sweetly handing out Valentine's Day chocolates this little idea assaulted me so I just had to write it. Just as a little cultural info: Valentine's Day in Japan is celebrated a little differently – there the girls give boys chocolates, hehe a little flipped from my notion of Valentine's. But the poor guilt-ridden boys can alleviate said guilt on White Day by giving chocolates to the girls – btw, the boys' return gifts are always priced more expensively then the girls'… maybe because they know the girls will buy plenty for all their acquaintances while the men are likely to only reciprocate to the girl that they like? Girls More Items Bought, Boys Less Items, More Expensive. Hmmm….


End file.
